Folding table



March 20, 1934, t M, TINSLEY 1,951,888

FOLDING TABLE Filed Dec. 2, 1932 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 20, 1934 FOLDING TABLE Milton L. Tinsley, Grantwood, N. J., assignor to Ferguson Brothers Manufacturing Company, Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 2, 1932, Serial No. 645,326

11 Claims.

My invention consists broadly of a folding table in which means are provided whereby the legs are automatically locked against unintentional displacement when swung either to their folded or unfolded position.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel, simple and effective hinge structure for each folding leg in which the diagonal leg brace comprises a two armed folding lever; spring means being employed to throw the arms of the lever past center when the leg is unfolded for locking the leg in its unfolded position and coasting means on the folding lever arms being employed to automatically lock the leg in its folded position.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 represents a detail vertical section at one corner of the table with the leg shown locked in its unfolded position;

Fig. 2 represents a detail section taken in the plane of the line IIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 represents a detail section taken in the plane of the line IIIIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 represents a detail section similar to Fig. l with the leg shown in its folded position; and

Fig. 5 represents a detail bottom plan view of the same.

The table top structure is herein represented as comprising a top 1 of any suitable stiff material, a flexible covering 2 and a depending boundary frame 3. A folding leg 4 is hinged to the table top structure at each corner thereof.

- The folding leg hinge structure is as follows:

' 1' screws 8, to the inner side of the adjacent frame rail, said branch 7 terminating in an inwardly turned lip 9. A pivot pin 10 extends across the space between the angle plate 5 and the p inwardly turned lip 9 parallel to but spaced from r the inner face of the angle plate branch 7.

Another fiat plate 11 of sheet metal or other suitable material is secured, as by screws 12, along the outer side of the folding leg 1, which plate is bent to form branches 13 and 14 embracing the adjacent sides of the leg. This plate 11 is also bent at its inner end to form a loop 15 embracing the pivot pin 10 and serving to hinge the leg to the angle plate 5.

A two armed folding lever serves, when unfolded, as a diagonal brace for locking the leg in its unfolded position, said lever comprising an arm 16 pivoted near its outer end at 17 to the angle plate 5, and an arm 18 pivoted at its outer end at 19 to the flange 13 of the leg plate 11; the adjacent inner ends of the said lever I 8 arms being pivoted together at 20.

The means which I have shown for automatically locking the leg when swung into its unfolded position is as follows:

A coil spring 21 extends from the branch 7 of p i the angle plate 5 to the inner end of the folding lever arm 16 beyond the pivot 17 and exerts tension to throw the lever arms past center when unfolded. A stop '22 which, in the present instance, is bent inwardly from the angle plate 5 serves to limit the movement of the lever arms past center by engaging the arm 16.

The means which I have shown for automatically locking the leg when it is swung into its folded position is as follows:

One of the lever arms, in the present instance the arm 16 has a recess 23 and the other lever arm, in the present instance the arm 18 is provided with a round headed stud 24 arranged in From the above description it will be seen that y I have provided one means for locking the leg in its unfolded position against unintentional displacement and a separate means for locking the leg in its folded position against unintentional displacement.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but

What I claim is: 1. In a folding table, a table top, a leg hinged thereto, a two armed folding lever connecting the leg and table top, means carried by the two armed folding lever for locking the lever and leg folded, and spring means connecting the lever and table top for locking the lever and leg unfolded.

2. In a folding table, a table top, a leg hinged thereto, a two armed folding lever connecting the leg and table top, coacting elements on the two armed folding lever for automatically locking the leg folded, and spring means connecting the lever and table top for throwing the lever arms past center to automatically lock the leg unfolded.

3. In a folding table, a table top, a leg hinged thereto, a two armed folding lever connecting the leg and table top, a recess on one lever arm and a coacting stud on the other lever arm for automatically looking the leg folded, and spring means connecting the lever and table top for throwing the lever arms past center to automatically lock the leg unfolded.

4. In a folding table, a table top frame, an angle plate secured in the inner corner of the frame, a folding leg hinged to the angle plate, a two armed folding lever having its arms pivoted to the angle plate and leg respectively, coacting means on the lever arms for locking the leg folded, and a spring connecting one lever arm and angle plate for throwing the lever arms past center to lock the leg unfolded.

5. In a folding table, a table top frame, an angle plate secured in the inner corner of the frame, a folding leg hinged to the angle plate, a two armed folding lever having its arms pivoted to the angle plate and leg respectively, coacting means on the lever arms for locking the leg folded, a spring connecting one lever arm and angle plate for throwing the lever arms past center to lock the leg unfolded, and a stop on the angle plate for limiting the throw of the lever arms past center.

6. In a folding table, a table top frame, an angle plate secured in the inner corner of the frame and having a lateral branch terminating in an inwardly turned lip, -a pivot pin extending from the lip to the plate, a folding leg, a plate secured thereto and pivoted to said pin, a folding lever having its arms pivoted to the angle plate and leg plate respectively, coacting means on the lever arms for locking the leg folded, and a spring connecting one lever arm and angle plate branch for throwing the lever arms past center to lock the leg unfolded.

'7. ma folding table, a table top frame, an angle plate secured in the inner corner of the frame and having a lateral branch terminating in an inwardly turned lip, a pivot pin extending from the lip to the plate, a folding leg, a plate secured thereto and pivoted to said pin, a folding lever having its arms pivoted to the angle plate and leg plate respectively, coacting means on the lever arms for locking the leg folded, a spring connecting one lever arm and angle plate branch for throwing the lever arms past center to lock the leg unfolded, and a stop on the angle plate for limiting the throw of the lever arms past center.

8. In a folding table, a table top frame, an angle plate secured in the inner corner of the frame and having a lateral branch terminating in an inwardly turned lip, a pivot pin extending from the lip to the plate, a folding leg, a plate secured thereto and pivoted to said pin, a two armed folding lever having its arms pivoted to the angle plate and leg plate respectively, stud means adapted to strain said lever from its normal course when the leg is in a partly unfolded position, and a spring connecting one lever arm and angle plate branch for throwing the lever arms past center to lock the leg unfolded.

9. In a folding table, a table top, a leg hinged thereto, a two armed folding lever connecting the leg and table top, stud means adapted to strain means connecting the lever and table top for throwing the lever arms past center to automatically lock the leg unfolded.

11. In a folding table, a table top frame, an angle plate secured in the inner corner of the frame, a folding leg hinged to the angle plate, a

two armed folding lever having its arms pivoted to the angle plate and leg, respectively, stud means adapted to strain said lever from its normal course when the leg is in a partly unfolded position, and a spring connecting one lever arm and angle plate for throwing the lever arms past center to lock the leg unfolded.

MILTON L. TINSLEY. 

